MALAWI: ECM elects new office bearers
The Episcopal Conference of Malawi, an assembly of Catholic Bishops from all the eight dioceses have elected new office bearers with Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa of Blantyre Archdiocese and Bishop Martin Mtumbuka of Karonga diocese as Chairman and Vice- Chairman respectively.
In a communique signed by the Secretary General for ECM, Fr. Henry Saindi to the Catholic Community in Malawi and beyond, partner organizations and groupings, and all people of good will reads in part, “this is in line with the Statutes governing the operations and internal organization of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops in Malawi”.
Fr. Saindi said the ECM Executive Committee is now comprised of Most Reverend Msusa and Right Reverend Mtumbuka in their capacities as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the conference. Other members are Right Reverend George Desmond Tambala and Right Reverend Montfort Stima.
Archbishop Tarsizio Gervazio Ziyaye was elected the Bishop Chairman for the Catholic Secretariat, Finance and substitute delegate to synods of Bishops respectively whereas Archbishop Msusa is delegate to the synods of Bishops.
In the communique, Fr. Saindi said Right Reverend Mtumbuka was elected as Bishop Chairman for Seminaries whose board is comprised of himself as the Chairman of the board and Archbishops Msusa, Ziyaye and Right Reverend Tambala as members.
Right Reverend Tambala who was formerly Bishop Chairman for Social Communications and Research Commission will now be the Chairman for the Association of Men Religious in Malawi (AMRIM), the Association of Women in Religious Institutes of Malawi (AWRIM) and the Association of Diocesan Catholic Clergy of Malawi (ADCCOM), Mixed Commission and Bishop Delegate for the Executive Board of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA).
Bishop Mtumbuka and Rt. Rev. John Alphonsus Ryan of Mzuzu diocese are Bishop Delegate and substitute delegate to the Catholic University of East Africa (CUEA) respectively.
Right Reverend Peter Musikuwa of Chikwawa diocese will be chairman of the Evangelization and Catechesis (Pastoral Commission), Liturgical Commission and Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) while Bishop Stima is the Vice Chairman of the Evangelization and Catechesis (Pastoral Commission).
Bishop Stima is also Vice Chairman for Theological Commission which will be chaired by Archbishop Ziyaye and Bishop Chairman for Child Protection.
The Social Development Directorate which is composed of the Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM/Caritas), Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP), Catholic Health Commission (CHC) and Catholic Education Commission (CEC) will be under the chairmanship of Bishop Tambala for CADECOM/Caritas, Bishop Mtumbuka for both Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace and Catholic Education Commission and Bishop Ryan for Catholic Health Commission.
Right Reverend Emmanuel Kanyama of Dedza diocese is the Chairman for Social Communications and Research Commission and Ecumenism and Interfaith Dialogue.
These positions were with effect from February 2, 2018 and will run for a tenure of three years.
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By Prince Henderson, ECM Communications Officer
